UFC 219 Holly Holm vs Cris Cyborg Preview

UFC Fight Night Winnipeg is already in the rear view mirror, but there’s still one massive event for UFC fans to feast on before the turn of the year.

UFC 219 goes down on Dec. 30 and there’s no shortage of reasons to be tuning in for it, not least of all, the main event. The UFC women’s featherweight title will be on the line when Cris Cyborg defends her belt for the time against Holly Holm in the evening headliner.

Cyborg has looked unstoppable since entering the UFC last year and she won the 145-pounds back in July when she defeated Tonya Evinger at UFC 214. Prior to that, Cyborg held the Invicta FC 145-pounds title and began her UFC run by winning 140-pound catchweight fights against Lina Lansberg and Leslie Smith. The introduction of the featherweight title this year was always thought of way allowing Cyborg to hold UFC gold, but on Dec. 30 another UFC champion will provide a big step up in competition.

Holm won the UFC bantamweight title back in Nov. 2015 when she defeated Ronda Rousey in Australia at UFC 193. She then went on a terrible run that saw her lose three straight fights and her UFC title to Miesha Tate at UFC 196. After further losses to Valentina Shevchenko and then Germaine de Randamie, Holm got back to winning ways earlier this year when scored a fantastic knockout win against Brazilian, Bethe Correira.

Our Prediction: Cris Cyborg is widely tipped by the sportsbook review site SportsBettingDime.com to retain her title, but Holly Holm presents a big challenge and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if she took home her second UFC title at UFC 219. Cyborg will be at her most dangerous in the opening rounds, but if Holm can push things into the championship rounds four and five, that’s when things will start to get really interesting. It’s an intriguing bout to end the year and don’t be surprised if it’s Holly Holm who is wearing UFC gold heading in to 2018.